Abundance or Poverty

“ Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

First Reading: Prov. 31:10-13, 19-20, 30-31

When one finds a worthy wife, her value is far beyond pearls. Her husband, entrusting his heart to her, has an unfailing prize. She brings him good, and not evil, all the days of her life. She obtains wool and flax and makes cloth with skillful hands. She puts her hands to the distaff, and her fingers ply the spindle. She reaches out her hands to the poor, and extends her arms to the needy. Charm is deceptive and beauty fleeting; the woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her a reward of her labors, and let her works praise her at the city gates.

Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 128:1-2, 3, 4-5

Second Reading: 1Thess. 5:1-6

Concerning times and seasons, brothers, you have no need for anything to be written to you. For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night. Then people are saying, "Peace and security," then sudden disaster comes upon them, like labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you, brothers, are not in darkness, for that day to overtake you like a thief. For all of you are children of the light and children of the day. We are not of the night or of darkness. Therefore, let us not sleep as the rest do, but let us stay alert and sober.

Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30

" It will be as when a man who was going on a journey  called in his servants and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents;  to another, two; to a third, one--to each according to his ability. Then he went away. Immediately the one who received five talents went and traded with them, and made another five. Likewise, the one who received two made another two. But the man who received one went off and dug a hole in the ground and buried his master's money. After a long time the master of those servants came back and settled accounts with them. The one who had received five talents came forward bringing the additional five.  He said, 'Master, you gave me five talents. See, I have made five more.' His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy.' (Then) the one who had received two talents also came forward and said, 'Master, you gave me two talents. See, I have made two more. 'His master said to him, 'Well done, my good and faithful servant. Since you were faithful in small matters, I will give you great responsibilities. Come, share your master's joy. 'Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, 'Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter; so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back. 'His master said to him in reply, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I did not plant and gather where I did not scatter? Should you not then have put my money in the bank so that I could have got it back with interest on my return? Now then! Take the talent from him and give it to the one with ten. For to everyone who has, more will be given and he will grow rich; but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. And throw this useless servant into the darkness outside, where there will be wailing and grinding of teeth.'

 Reflection
by Elizabeth Eguia

Life is what we make it. How we think, what we believe our life will be, will definitely happen.  I am one of the living proofs of this. More than six years ago, I had financial difficulty. I didn’t have a stable job. It went to a point when I was penniless, spent most of my savings and became dependent on my younger sister’s support. I was depressed and I felt ashamed considering my younger sister was just giving me budgeted money.  I cannot buy what I want. I cannot go to places on my own wherever and whenever I wanted to. In short, I felt trap. I felt I don’t have other place to go.

But the good news about this is, God has guided me in this troubled times. He really works in mysterious ways. He can make difficult situations turn into opportunities to make you the best person that you can be. And to make you realize there is a God who listens and who knows our heart's desire. At that time prayer was my weapon, my only source of strength as I face each day. When you feel depressed or in a negative mood, what happens is that the positive energy cannot flow inside us. So we need to condition our minds, our hearts, and our souls that everything will turn out great in spite of all this.

God’s guidance led me to make plans on what to do, how to do it, and when to do it. You will just be amazed of the doors of opportunities He will open for you and you just have to execute all the plans you have made. It did work for me.  Today, I have improved a lot financially speaking and became wiser by God’s grace compared to six years ago. All these are through our gracious God only! I wouldn’t have done it if wasn’t for Him, for the events, the people He has used to make me a better person.

Today’s Gospel is focused on abundance and poverty. God loves us so much that He has entrusted to us different blessings. It is only up to us to use them wisely. It doesn’t matter what's your current status in life right now. Whether you are rich or you are poor, He has allotted something to each one of us. That is how special we are to Him. Two key ingredients that we should not forget are: to thank God before the blessings come, when the blessings are continuously outpouring, and even after the blessings are received. Secondly, give back to God a portion of the blessings He has given us.

Prayer:

Dear Lord, we praise and glorify You for the gift of abundance You have given to each one of us. Grant us wisdom to use them wisely and make it grow a hundred or a million fold to help others and give back to You all the glory. This we ask in Jesus name. Amen.